Expert: Aupmanyav - 8/8/2010

Question
Hi Aupmanyav

I wish to know wether the indian civilisation ever rivaled its western counterparts?

From what time period did the western (european) civilisations take over and what were the reasons for the same?

Thanks
Shikhin

Answer
Dear Shikhin,

I do not very much like rivalry questions. Every culture has/had its days, whether it was Greek, Roman, Egyptian, Nubian, Persian, Central Asian, Chinese, or Indian; or so many other civilizations in the world. Then, what measure would one use to compare any two civilization? Some excelled in philosophy, some in martial power, some in economics, etc. Then, all civilizations had their good days and their bad days. Harappa was at the top till 2,500 BC then it waned. The same people again had their good days during the Maurya, Gupta, or Harshavardhana regimes.

But to answer your question, till 1565, Vijayanagara was unparalleled. The medieval European travelers such as Domingo Paes, Fernão Nunes and Niccolò Da Conti sang its praises. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vijayanagara_Empire). After that time, the Mughal Empire, which had now become Indian, rose to prominence in the North, and could compare with any civilization in Europe. Can I take that I have answered your question? With best regards,

Yours sincerely,

Aupmanyav